The present invention generally relates to metallization structures for integrated circuits on a semiconductor chip. In particular, the invention relates to interconnects with superior electromigration (herein “EM”) resistance, these interconnects include a high conductivity interconnect portion abutting a metal silicide interconnect portion.
Metallization systems used in integrated circuits on a semiconductor chip include several levels of metal lines separated by dielectric layers and connected through the dielectric layers by metal vias.
Voids can appear in the metal lines and vias due to electromigration of the metal atoms. Electromigration is the movement of atoms due to a high electric current density. Atoms will move in one direction, while vacancies (empty atomic sites) move in the opposite direction. The result is accumulation of vacancies which form void(s) in the metal line or via and an accumulation of atoms which may form a hillock (a protrusion a metal atoms).
In older, less advanced technologies, metal lines are made of aluminum and the electromigration issue is addressed by making lines above a certain size (thereby minimizing current density) and sandwiching the aluminum line with a titanium layer to form a titanium-aluminum alloy which is resistance to atomic and vacancy flux.
In newer, more advanced technologies, metal lines are made of copper. As metal lines shrink, electromigration is once again emerging as a concern. Initially, electromigration was addressed by grain size engineering, namely growing large bamboo grains. The grain structure forces atomic and vacancy migration to the metal line/dielectric interface. Therefore, similar to the aluminum lines, alloys (CuMn, for example) are being proposed for the copper metal line/dielectric interface to impede migration. However, merely alloying may not be sufficient as interconnect features continue to shrink in size and grow in number. In addition, with shrinking line widths, the volume of copper in the line shrinks which limits the current carrying capability of narrow lines. Thus, a more robust solution to electromigration in narrow lines which does not detract from the current carrying capabilities of the lines is desirable.